Last weekend I worked with two coworkers, and I feel we had a really useful, healing, and productive conversation. The three of us RTs stepped back from our patient interactions. We talked about the personalities of various patients and their parents (pediatric hospital), how the interactions affected us, whether or not we thought various people connected with us. We also talked about the limitations of our own perceptions, and the issues that might affect the interactions that really aren't about right and wrong, just circumstantial, or personalities, or whatever.
I think we each gained some perspective. I think we walked away a little better able to handle things, to take the situations we find ourselves in with a grain of salt, to remember we aren't always the center of the universe.
RTs are insightful people. I think it's hard not to be, working in such close range to prolonged (and sometimes apparently meaningless) suffering. I really hate seeing good minds go to waste, so to speak. There are people in our profession that I believe are destined for great things. I believe we have a unique perspective on ethical issues, and a wide variety of patient care issues, not always limited to our scope of practice. Sometimes it takes an observer to, well. . .make the observations that those directly involved in situations can't see.
If you are an RT in America, you've probably noted there are not a lot of career advancement options for you.
I'm sure that's part of why there is such a degree of frustration, apathy, cynicism, and a host of other annoying and understandable characteristics that members of our professions have taken on.
It's something I comment on frequently--I think, unfortunately, it doesn't come off in the textual delivery the same way I could express it in person. When I complain about these attitudes, I'm not only trying to vent. I'm hoping to act as a gadfly for those who will spend the next 20 years unhappy, and "retired on the job" as one of my coworkers says.
Yesterday I was reading a blurb on the AARC website which summarized the January 8 podcast of AARC President Toni Rodriguez. One of the paragraphs really struck me:
"Dr. Rodriguez called upon every member of our profession to shake off the bonds of discouragement, apathy and resigned attitude and unite behind the legislative efforts to get H.R. 3968 passed into law. The passage of H.R. 3968 would open the door to greater access to certain qualified RTs in physicians’ offices and other alternate sites of care."
What really hit me was that she described our attitude aptly and honestly. We are discouraged, apathetic, and resigned.
Do you think we can shake it off and get this legislation passed? Do you have any hope that it will affect our role, and make the opportunities that we are really looking for?
There are numerous links at the AARC.org website that will help you get politically involved, if you are that sort. But at least make sure you contact your representatives and make sure they are behind the bill.
Monday, February 4, 2008
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2 comments:
RTs are a curious lot, if not downright odd. Insightful, compassionate, clever, entertaining, industrious - are a few fitting adjectives. But so are cynical, disillusioned, neglected and frustrated. I would very much like to think that passage of HR 3968 would change the lack of enthusiasm in our profession, but I am not convinced that it will. Healthcare is a tough road, especially ancillary care. Working in this field, one has to remember that it IS physician driven, with administration paying for the gas. My thought on the matter of career recognition and advancement is that it is very much a personal issue. Each RT needs to take it upon themselves to do the best they can in whatever circumstance and work furiously at providing good care to those who are depending on it. We cannot expect new statues or additional credentials to make our lives at work better. We need to step back and remember why we are doing what we do. The revolution has to come from within - we have to let our positive attributes outshine anything negative lurking under the surface. Our patients will notice, co-workers will notice, and perhaps a miracle with happen and a physician or suit will notice as well.
Okay, off my soapbox for now!
Great post! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I see both sides of the coin at my hospital. On the one had we have a handful of people who are "retired on the job" (love that phrase) and on the other hand we have so many movers and shakers who have pushed for a wide range of RT protocols at our hospital that give all of us who want responsibility that opportunity.
On the other hand, I remember when I first when into RT school I asked the nurse at my Pulmo's office if they hire RT's. It would make sense, right? I can't see how an RT in a pulmo's or physician's group wouldn't be an asset. The nurse's response? "I'm only an LPN. We never hire RN's. You guys would be way too expensive."
And that's what happens when the bean counters get to control patient care. It would be easy to blame the docs but there are very few docs these days who have a private practice. Most of them are in clinics owned and administered by the hospital.
I'm definitely behind this legislation. I WANT RT's in my physicians' offices whether that's ME working there or not.
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